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Genealogical Gleanings. lb 

ffallowtield that commonly lyes at Charles Harfords & often 
hath preached very well in our meeting house one guinea & 
£50 sterling ; to Jeremy Ilignell Cooper in Temple St. £50 ; 
to John Pope Senior that lives over against the Glass hous 
without Lowfords Gate £25 ; to Benjamin Coole Sen', that 
lives on Michael hill in this City £50; to Unele Char: Har- 
ford one guinea ; to bro. Charles Jones, bro. Michael Jones 
& bro. Mathias Jones eacli £100; to sister Sarah that is 
married to firancis Roach £200 ; to sister Elizabeth that is 
married to Edward Harford £200 ; to Peter Young my 
brother law £50 ; to ffrancis Roach my brother law the 
same ; to Peter & Ann Young children of my sister Young 
each £500 ; to brother Charles Jones more £600 if he agree 
with Exors. on the account of the late brigantine Expedi- 
tion ; to bro. Michael Jones £600 ; to sister Roach the 
same ; to sister Elizabeth married to Edward Harford the 
same ; to kinsman Mathias Jones Sen" of London £100 ; to 
John Keinton that was my apprentice £60; to servant Jane 
Persevell £10 ; to servant Martha Gifford £5 ; to John Hor- 
woods wife £5; to 6 or 12 bearers who carry me to the 
grave each 20s. ; to Arthur Thomas Pewterer £5 ; to cousin 
Thomas Dickson £3 ; to Charles Harford Jr. £-3 ; to Elias 
Osborne, Richard Yeomans, Robert Priest & Arthur Taylor 
each one guinea; to Arthur Sawyer same; to aunt Smith 
£5; to William Pope my porter £10; to sister Roach my 
part of ship called Susannah ; to cousin Widow Low of this 
City £h; to cousin Martha married to William Stafiord 
£100 ; to cousin Mary married to William Penn £100 ; ^ 
cousins Peter & Ann, children of sister, & Racliell daughter 
of my brother Michaell, & 2 youngest children of sister 
Harford to be Res. Legs. & these 5 Exors. ; Wit. William 
Rushton, Richard Hawkesworth & Richard Vickris, Jr. ; 
Pro. 4 Aug. 1702.— P. C. C. Heme, 136. 

' William Penn, eldest son of the Proprietor of Pennsylvania, by his 
first wife, Gulielma Maria Springett, and from whom the Penns of 
Shan.igary, Ireland (now represented by the Gaskell-Halls), were de- 
scended, married Mary Jones. This valuable will gives, as far as the 
writer is aware, the first clue to her identification. 



/ 




7(3 An English Gentleman's Visit io Mount Vernon in 1785. 



AN ACCOUNT OF A VISIT MADE TO WASHINGTON 
AT MOUNT VERNON, BY AN ENGLISH GENTLE- 
MAN, IN 1785. 

FROM TOE DIARY OF JOHN HUNTER. 

[Through the courtesy of Evan Powell, Esq., of Llandiloes, Wales, 
and Dr. James J. Levick, of this city, we are enabled to publish the 
following account of a visit made to Washington at Mount Vernon, by 
Mr. John Hunter, an Engli.sh gentleman, who was making a tour in 
1785-86 through Canada and the United States. The diary is now in 
the possession of his grandson. Major W. G. Hunter, of the British 
array.] 

Alexandria, Virginia. 
Wednesday IGlJi. of Nov'r. 1785. — After breakfast I waited 
on Colonel Fitzgerald. A fire that had broke out in the 
town hindered us from getting off so soon as we intended. 
However, after some trouble it was extinguished and at half 
past eleven we left Alexandria with Mr. Lee, the President 
of Congress, his son and the servants. You have a fine 
view of the Potomac till you enter a wood. A small Rivu- 
let here divides the General's Estate from the neighbouring 
farmers. His seat breaks out beautifully upon you when 
you little expect, being situated upon a most elegant rising 
ground on the banks of the Potomac, ten miles from Alex- 
andria. We. arrived at Mount Vernon by one o'clock — 
so-called by the General's eldest brother, who lived there 
before him, after the Admiral of that name. When Colonel 
Fitzgerald introduced me to the General I was struck with 
his noble and venerable appearance. It immediately 
brought to my mind the great part he had acted in the late 
war. The General is about six feet high, perfectly straight 
and well made ; rather inclined to be lusty. His eyes are 
full and blue and seem to express an air of gravity. His 
nose inclines to the aquiline ; his mouth small ; his teeth 
are yet good and his cheeks indicate perfect health. His 



An English Gentleman's Visit to 3 fount Verno^i in 17 S5. 77 

forehead is a noble one and he wears his haii- turned back, 
without curls and quite in the officer's style, and tyed in a 
long queue behind. Altogether he makes a most noble, re- 
spectable appearance, and I really think him the first man in 
the world. After having had the management and care of 
the whole Continental army, he has now retired without 
receiving any pay for his trouble, and though solicited by 
the King of France and some of the first characters in the 
world to visit Europe, he has denied them all and knows 
how to prefer solid happiness in his retirement to all the 
luxuries and flattering speeches of European Courts. The 
General was born and educated near Fredericksburg on 
the Rappahannock. He must be a man of great abilities 
and a strong natural genius, as his master never taught him 
anything but writing and arithmetic. People come to see 
him here from all parts of the world — hardly a day passes 
without; but the General seldom makes his appearance 
before dinner ; employing the morning to write his letters 
and superintend his farm, and allotting the afternoon to 
company ; but even then he generally retires for two hours 
between tea and supper to his study to write. 

He is one of the most regular men in the world. "When 
no particular Company is at his house, he goes to bed al- 
ways at nine and gets up with the sun. It's astonishing the 
packets of letters that daily come for him, from all parts of 
the world, which employ him most of the morning to 
answer, and his Secretary Mr. Shaw (an acquaintance of 
mine) to copy and arrange. The General has all the ac- 
counts of the war yet to settle. Shaw tells me he keeps as 
regular Books as any Merchant whatever, and a daily Jour- 
nal of all his transactions. It's amazing the number of 
letters he wrote during the war : there are thirty large 
folio volumes of them upstairs, as big as common Ledgers, 
all neatly copied. The General is remarked for writing a 
most elegant letter. Like the famous Addison, his writing 
excels his speaking. But to flnish this long digression. 
"When I was first introduced to him he was neatly dressed 
in a plain blue coat, white cassimir waistcoat, and black 



78 An Unglish Genlkman's Visit to 3Iount Veimon in 1785. 

breeches and Boots, as he came from his farm. After 
having sat with us some time he retired and sent in his lady, 
a most agreeable woman about 50, and Major Washington 
his nephew, married about tliree weeks ago to a Miss Bes- 
sot : She is Mrs. Washington's niece and a most charming 
young woman. She is about 19. After chatting with them 
for half an hour, the General came in again, with his hair 
neatl}' powdered, a clean shirt on, a new plain drab coat, 
white waistcoat and white silk stockings. At three, dinner 
was on table, and we were shewn by the General into an- 
other room, where everything was set ofi' with a peculiar 
taste, and at the same time very neat and plain. The 
General sent the bottle about pretty freely after dinner, and 
gave success to the navigation of the Potomac for his toasts, 
which he has very much at heart, and when finished will I 
suppose be the first river in the world. He never under- 
takes anything without having first well considered of it 
and consulted different people, but when once he has begun 
anything, no obstacle or difficulty can come in his way, but 
what he is determined to surmount. The General's char- 
acter seems to be a prudent, but a ver}' persevering one. 
He is quite pleased at the idea of the Baltimore Merchants 
laughing at him, and saying it was a ridiculous plan and 
would never succeed. They begin now, saj'S the General, 
to look a little serious about the matter, as they know it 
must hurt their commerce amazingly. 

The Colonel and I had our horses read}' after dinner to 
return to Alexandria, and notwithstanding all we could do, 
the General absolutely insisted upon our staying on account 
of the bad afternoon. We therefore complyed, (although 
it was fully my intention to have set off" either to Fred- 
ericksburg in my way to Mr. McOall's, in the stage, if the 
morning was fine, and if not, most certainly back again to 
Baltimore) as I could not refuse the pressing and kind in- 
vitation of 80 great a General, tho' our greatest enemy, I 
admire him as superior even to the Roman heroes them- 
selves. 

After tea General Washington retired to his study and 



An English Gentleman's Visit to Mount Vernon in 1785. 79 

left us witli the President, his lady and the rest of the Com- 
pany. If he had not been anxious to hear the news of 
Congress from Mr. Lee, most probablj' he would not have 
returned to supper, but gone to bed at his usual hour, nine 
o'clock, for he seldom makes any ceremony. We had a 
very elegant supper about that time. The General with a 
few glasses of champagne got quite merry, and being with 
his intimate friends laughed and talked a good deal. Be- 
fore strangers he is generally very reserved, and seldom 
says a word. I was fortunate in being in his company with 
his particular acquaintances. I am told during the war he 
was never seen to smile. The care indeed of such an army 
was almost enough to make anybody thoughtful and grave. 
No man but the General could have kept the army together 
without victuals or clothes ; they placed a confidence in 
him that they would have had in no other person. His 
being a man of great fortune and having no children shewed 
them it was quite a disinterested part that he was acting with 
regard to money making and that he had only the good of 
his country at heart. The soldiers, tho' starving at times, 
in a manner adored him. 

We had a great deal of conversation about the slippery 
ground (as the General said) that Franklin was on, and also 
about Congress, the Potomac, improving their roads, etc. 
At 12 I had the honor of being lighted up to my bedroom 
by the General himself. 

Thursdiv/ 17th. November. — I rose early and took a walk 
about the Genei'al's grounds — which are really beautifully 
laid out. He has about 4000 acres well cultivated and 
superintends the whole himself. Indeed his greatest pride 
now is, to be thought the first farmer in America. He is 
quite a Cincinnatus, and often works with his men himself 
— strips off his coat and labors like a common man. The 
General has a great turn for mechanics. It's astonishing 
with what niceness he directs everything in the building 
way, condescending even to measure the things himself, that 
all may be perfectly uniform. The style of his house is very 
elegant, something like the Prince de Conde's at Chantille, 



80 An English Gentleman's Visit to Mount Vernon in 1785. 

near Paris, only not quite so large : but it's a pity lie did 
not build a new one at once, as it has cost him nearly as much 
repairing his old one. His improvements I'm told are very 
great within the last year. He is making a most delightful 
bowling green before the house and cutting a new road 
thro' the woods to Alexandria. It would be endless to at- 
tempt describing his house and grounds — I must content 
myself with having seen them. The situation is a heavenly 
one, upon one of the finest rivers in the world. I suppose 
I saw thousands of wild ducks upon it, all within gun shot. 
There are also plenty of blackbirds and wild geese and 
turkies. After breakfast I went with Shaw to see his 
famous race-horse Magnolia — a most beautiful creature. A 
whole length of him was taken a little while ago, (mounted 
on Magnolia) by a famous man from Europe in copper — 
and his bust in marble — one by order of Congress to be 
kept wherever they sit, and the other by the State of Vir- 
ginia, to stand in the House of Assembly. They will cost 
about 6000 sterling Shaw says. He also showed me an 
elegant State Carriage, with beautiful emblematical figures 
on it, made him a present of by the State of Pennsylvania. 
I afterwards went into his stables, where among an amazing 
number of horses, I saw old Nelson, now 22 years of age, 
that carried the General almost always during the war: 
Blneskin, another fine old horse next to him, now and then 
had that honor. Shaw also shewed me his old servant, 
that was reported to have been taken, with a number of the 
General's papers about him. They have heard the roaring 
of many a cannon in their time. Blueskin was not the 
favourite, on account of his not standing fire so well as 
venerable old Nelson. The General makes no manner of 
use of them now ; he keeps them in a nice stable where 
they feed away at their ease for their past services. There 
is a horse of Major Washington's there that was reckoned 
the finest figure in the American Army. It's astonishing 
what a number of small houses the General has upon his 
Estate for his different Workmen and Negroes to live in. 
He has everything within himself — Carpenters, Bricklayers, 



An English Gentleman\'i Visit to Mount Vernon in 1785. 81 

Brewers, Blucksraitlis, Bakers, etc., etc. and even has a 
well assorted Store for the use of his family and servants. 

When the General takes his coach out he always drives 
six horses; to his chariot he only puts four. The General 
has some fine deer, which he is going to enclose a park for 
— also some remarkable large fox hounds, made him a 
present of from England, as he is fond of hunting, and 
there are great plenty of foxes in this country. I forgot to 
mention Mrs. "Washington's sweet little Grand-children, who 
I imagine, will come in for a share of the General's fortune 
with the Major. I fancy he is worth 100,000 Pounds 
sterling and lives at the rate of 3 or 4000 a year ; always 
keeping a genteel table for strangers, that almost daily 
visit him, as a thing of course. There is a fine family pict- 
ure in the Drawing room of the Marquis de La Fayette, 
his lady and three children — another of the General with 
his marching orders, when he was Colonel Washington in 
the British Army against the French in the last war ; and 
two of Mrs. Washington's children : Her son was reckoned 
one of the handsomest men living ; also a picture of Mrs. > 
Washington when a young woman. 

The General has some hundreds of Negroes on his plan- 
tations. He chiefly grows Indian corn, wheat and tobacco. 

It's astonishing with what raptures Mrs. Washington 
spoke about the discipline of the army, the excellent order 
they were in, superior to any troops she said upon the face 
of the earth towards the close of the war ; even the Eng- 
lish acknowledged it, she said. What pleasure she took in 
the sound of the fifes and drums, preferring it to any 
music that was ever heard ; and then to see them reviewed 
a week or two before the men were disbanded, when they 
were all well clothed was she said a most heavenly sight; 
almost every soldier shed tears at parting with the General 
when the army was disbanded : Mrs. Washington said it 
was a most melancholy sight. The situation of Mount 
Vernon is by nature one of the sweetest in the world, and 
what makes it still more pleasing is the amazing number of 
sloops that are constantly sailing up and down the River. 
Vol. XVII. — 6 



82 An English Gentleman's Visit to Mount Vernon in 1785. 

Indeed, all the ships that come to Alexandria or George 
Town must sail by the General's house. 

At eleven we took leave of him. I shook him heartily 
by the hand and wished him all happiness. Mr. Lee and 
his son left us soon after to go to their scat on this side of 
the Eappahannock about 16 miles from Mr. McCall's at 
Hobb's Hole. In our way to Alexandria we fell in with 
Mr. Lunn Washington, the gentleman who managed the 
General's estate during the war. 

We were soon after joined by a gentleman with a pack 
of fine hounds in search of a fox. They had had a fine 
hunt this morning and killed one. We arrived at Alex- 
andria, by one. 



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